Jaycee Dugard Interview–and her Birth Chart

In a landmark television event on Sunday night, July 10, 2011 on ABC at 9/8C, Diane Sawyer conducted the first interview with Jaycee Dugard. Jaycee talked about her abduction and 18 years of imprisonment and sexual abuse and about giving birth to her two daughters without medical assistance.

At the sentencing of Jaycee’s abductors, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, on June 2, 2011, Jaycee’s mother, Terry Probyn, read a victim impact statement by her daughter and delivered her own statement, which included the following birth data: “On May 3rd, 1980, at 10:52 at night, Jaycee was born.”

I know I should have plenty to say about the chart, given that I wrote about sexual abuse in Healing Pluto Problems and given all the abuse victims I counseled in my practice, but frankly, I find her story too heartbreaking. Maybe I was strong enough to do it for my clients day after day at that time, but being out of a practice several years now, I’m also out of practice with tamping down the emotions clients’ situations stir up.

The Pluto on her Midheaven is noteworthy, and the Moon-Neptune conjunction stradding the Ascendant and squared by Saturn speaks of profound suffering in motherhood.

It occurs to me that the reason this chart doesn’t fit the patterns I’m accustomed to is that all the victims whose charts I did–and there were a great many–had been molested by family members or within the context of their family.

This is a considerably different situation, being abducted and held captive as a sexual slave, isolated from family for so long, and thus the houses involved would be different. Pluto and Neptune, however, are still very prominent.

UPDATE: Upon reflection, I did recall one similar tragic case in the national news from years back. Steven Stayner was kidnapped by a convicted sex offender and kept prisoner from 1973 to 1980, from the time he was 7 until he escaped at 14. His adjustment on release was poor, and he died in a motorcycle accident in 1989, at 24.

The most striking similarity between his chart and Jaycee’s is a Moon-Neptune conjunction square the Ascendant. His conjunction is in Scorpio, and the Ascendant is Aquarius. Saturn is in Pisces in the first trining Neptune. Even a trine between Saturn and Neptune isn’t necessarily free of the difficulties of that combination–see Getting a Grip on Saturn-Neptune Aspects . (See his bio and chart in AstroDataBank here: Stayner, Steven. )

Responses

Wow! I was just about to write “I wonder what Joyce Mason would say about Chiron conjunct Sun in the 5th house of children?” The pain around having her kids the way she did and having to raise them as she did (until now). Then I come to the comments section and it was the first one! Totally agree; this is significant as well.

There is ever so much info to consider, but here are a few things that strike me: the number of critical degrees in her chart–all axes except 1-7 and 3-9; Moon, Mars, Jupiter!

Her Mars and Jupiter at 00 Virgo–excessive sex as a virgin?– in Scorpio’s house (8th) with his Pluto also falling in her 8th H.

His Venus conj her Sun/Chiron–he probably loved her in his own twisted way.

On the day of the kidnapping his Uranus conj her progressed Venus at 00 Cancer in 7th. (Love at first sight?)

Her Nep (hidden) in 12th H (prison) conj Moon–home a prison.

Perhaps they got away with it because tr Sun (19 Gem–two people) exactly trined her 19 Libra Pluto on the day of the crime. I wonder what the Sabian symbols would say about that. . .

On the day she was discovered (Aug 24, 2009):
tr Plu at 00 Cap in her 1H–the crime came to light.
Both he and she experiencing Sat return.
tr Nodes (in her 1H/7H), Mars (7H), Sun (8H) and probably the Moon (10H) all in critical degrees.

Really interesting analysis Mary! See & agree w/ most too. Only thing that doesn’t sit right (in my heart) is the inference around Mars & Jupiter in 8th; there’s nothing about that situation that I’d want to ‘lay’ on an 11 yr old on her way to school. At 31, an age when many women are just having their first child now, she has a 17 yr old and two kids who were raised in shackles basically. Wonder what their charts look like.

The greater part of her life and 99% of her kids lives were lived in that depravity; how do you heal from that? Where in the chart do you find healing? Does Pluto on MC also signify ability to transform oneself over & over? It is truly amazing what humans can adjust to. Her experience is akin to slavery, being a POW or another type of camp but I don’t want to upset anyone w/ my analogies. But that’s what it feels like to me. Unbelievably sad.

I seen that whole Jaycee Dugard interveiw as a sign in revelation Ch. 12…. Since i am familar with mythology and the story of Isis.. Her story matches really well as bieng the virgin… Saturn (Philip) or the red dragon was clearly meant or possesed to carry out what he did… He was a bible freak too….Her symbol the pine cone… Pope been waiting to see that symbol, you can gaurantee that… Even one commercial was about the virgin mary… Then the news began at its end last night, the first story was 3 girls found dead, then it said 3 dead on Triangle ct…. Woa!!!

By: Ken Haugen on July 11, 2011 at 3:23 pm

Thanks so much for posting the chart, Donna. I’m setting my dvr and am anxious to see how it all fits together.

Hi Donna,
I appreciate this posting although the gravity of the subject matter is intimidating.
I was dissapointed when I reviewed Garrido’s chart. I was hoping that it would look more violent or evil than it did. There is certainly aggresion, but it seems that delusion and/or playing God is more the case.

As for Jaycee’s chart, there is obvious difficulty, but I am not experienced enough to perceive the extremes that she endured. With the Moon/Neptune/Venus/Saturn complex, I would probably assume great sensitivity & sorrow but not the horrorific events that occured.
Is this an ‘out of bounds’ moon?
Donna, perhaps you could weigh in?

I’ve just recalled another tragic case, Steven Staynor, who was abducted at age 7 by a pedophile and escaped 7 years later. He has a similar configuration–Moon conjunct Neptune (in Scorpio) square the Ascendant (Aquarius) with Saturn in Pisces in the first trining Neptune. Even a trine between Saturn and Neptune isn’t necessarily free of the difficulties of that combination. I’ve added the link to his chart and bio in AstroDataBank, above.

In his case, a triple conjunction of Mars-Uranus-Pluto is opposite the Saturn, and his recovery from the abuse wasn’t good. He eventually died of a motorcycle accident at age 24. Donna

This reminded me of two very similar cases in Austria. Elizabeth Fritzl was kept in a basement by her father for years and had several children with him. Then there was Natascha Kamputsh who was kept in an underground room for almost ten years before she managed to escape. This page gives analysis of their charts. Among other things Natashca has Moon conj the Asc. http://astropost.blogspot.com/2008/12/astrology-chart-natascha-kampusch-and.html,

So far I have come across only tidbits of the interview on line, would love to watch the whole report. What struck me, besides the obvious, how well spoken, upbeat and wholesome Jaycee comes across despite her traumatic experiences, is Jaycee’s recall of feeling no longer alone after having given birth to her first child at the age of 14. That simple statement seems to hold a potential whole can of worms. Still she seems to be a testament to what the human spirit can survive. May she thrive.

Just finished watching the Diane Sawyer interview; DVRed it & waited some before starting. All I can say is if you have no idea how young 11 yrs old is, you will after this interview. Her age / stage of development affected everything she did from that point on; including not feeling able to free herself & her kids. The POW mentality is real; call it what you want; people become “in relation” to their captors; in this case, he was their father. To say it’s complicated is an understatement. It’s amazing the progress she’s made with that counselor in just two years. The healing is amazing. Godspeed Jaycee & kids. I know why the kids weren’t included; I really hope they’re getting counseling too. All I could think is that she was abducted the year I graduated from college … I spent 10 years with someone and moved across country 4 times in the same number of years she spent in that backyard. Two things: 1. The “desire for Mom” shows that she was a 5th grader; 11 years old. While she aged after that, it was far from normal development; that’s clear. 2. All of her earth planets helped her to endure; even at the end, “I believe in nature.” Some may say her Sag moon/rising kept her hope alive; maybe, but it was her 5 earth planets that kept her feet moving one in front of the other. Truly unbelievable story; most heart wrenching is the neighbor who called to report kids living in the back and the officer had a friendly porch chat and left. That was 2006; three years before they were ‘released.’

Amen to all you’re saying, Karen. I’ve always had a special affinity for 10-12 year olds–a wonderful age. They’re no longer children, and you can communicate with them well, but without the teenage hormonal upheavals and rebelliousness. If you’re going to be stuck at an age, that’s not a bad one. I watched and thought she was a beautiful soul. She’s surely wrapped in her family’s love, and she’s getting really good help. Donna

I’m thinking that his Neptune conj her Pluto sapped her power rendering her unable to leave.

Also that the outlet of her T-square Moon/Nep-Sat-Ven is the 3rd House–speaking out/communication. But her 3H is empty and the ruler of the third is Nep hidden away in the 12th and part of the problem. . .

On the other hand I was taught that Nep conj ASC confers spiritual protection. Perhaps that is indeed the case as she survived. Might is also account for her very “spiritual” take on her situation (lack of hatred/anger)?

I think she said that her first daughter was born 8-18-94. Has anyone looked at that chart?

There are so many interesting features of this chart! For instance, fixed star Aculeus is conjunct her AC and fixed star Acumen is conjunct her Moon. Both of these stars are associated with blindness, and so reinforce the theme of being hidden in plain sight, as indicated by Moon-Neptune straddling the ascendant.

During the Diane Sawyers interview, the qualities of Jaycee’s Sagittarian ascendant made themselves quite evident in her laughter and her frankness.

I bought Jaycee’s book today and just finished reading it. It displays so many of the qualities of her chart! Amazing! For example, she writes that when she was a little girl her mother called her a “little bull” because she was so stubborn. Certainly, the tenacity of her Taurus Sun helped her to endure her captivity.

The condition of her AC ruler, Jupiter, is also evident in many of the things she writes. Jupiter is heavily afflicted in the chart, being in the sign of its detriment and besieged in its position between the traditional malifics Mars and Saturn. Part of the book includes a journal she kept during her captivity. In several entries, she writes of her strong urges to be FREE, to run away. This powerful desire is ultimately checked by her feelings of responsibility for her daughters, and her anxieties over surviving on her own outside the backyard prison. The psychological dynamic is, IMO, a very accurate expression of a besieged Jupiter—the desire for freedom being alternately spurred on and hemmed in.

Jupiter also rules the twelfth house, thus joining first house symbolism (the public face we put out into the world) with twelth house symbolism (the things we hide away because they are so overwhelmingly sorrowful or difficult or destructive).

Excellent analysis of her Jupiter, Amethyst! It was surely faith that brought her through all those terrible years. I want–yet don’t want–to read the book, as it would be hard to read the details. I thought she was a very pure soul. Donna

Thanks, Donna. That’s quite a compliment, coming from you. I agree with you about her sense of faith—keywords for Mars-Jupiter are “fighting for one’s faith or optimism,” which she certainly did. I was really amazed by her display of optimism during the interview.

It is also interesting to me how, even though her Jupiter is so heavily afflicted, it is still able to operate as a benefic. Jupiter throws a trine to her Moon, which is in Sagittarius using traditional calculations and in Capricorn if making the parallax adjustment. Jupiter-trine-Moon is one of the best of all possible aspects to have natally—it virtually guarantees protection, money, material benefits—basic needs somehow just taken get of when one has this aspect. Once she was freed, she was the recipient of substantial help, financial and otherwise. In the book, she remarks that one of the police officers told her, “People just want to help you.” One anonymous person gave her a brand new car after she finally got a driver’s license. Also, she got a humongous, multi-million-dollar financial settlement from the state of California for their breath-takingly incompetent handling of Garrido’s parole.

Lastly, earlier in the thread VT had asked if her Moon is out of bounds. It is not, but her seventh-house Venus is! That really fits. Venus in Gemini is in mutual reception with Mercury in Taurus, ruler of the the seventh house. To me, this MR suggests the blending of carnality (earth) with emotional detachment (air) in extreme (out of bounds) relationships (seventh house). Certainly, the way she and her captor related displayed these qualities. Garrido clearly lacks empathy. Jaycee has described how she would “go away” in her mind while being abused.

The feeling I get with Jaycee’s Moon/Neptune trine Mercury trine Mars/Jupiter is that this girl lived in her dreams. It also gives her the ability to write about her dreams. Her thoughts and dreams were often about her mother. Jupiter/Mars also makes educating/ home schooling her children important as well.
Yes, having been abducted at the age of eleven, she never progressed beyond that age as Karen stated in her post earlier. To me, that would also be an indicator as to why she doesn’t seem to be angry at her abductor. Children at that age are still pure, not having been out in the world for so long, and other than her captivity she had no life experiences.

One more thing. Jaycee’s conjunction of Neptune/Moon/Ascendant speaks of loss of mother at an early age, thus a loss of self as well. With Pluto involved, it would be a profound loss. But, Pluto also conjuncts the MidHeaven. Here is the indication the Jaycee would one day be in the limelight.

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